Genasense shows benefits in CLL trial

New Jersey, USA-based Genta says that data from Phase III trials of Genasense (oblimersen sodium), used in conjunction with chemotherapy in the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, suggest the drug confers some clinical benefit in the treatment of the condition. The findings were presented at the 10th Annual International Congress on Hematologic Malignancies held in Whistler, British Columbia, USA, earlier this month.

During the trial, which was led by Jef Jones from the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston,Texas, 241 patients were treated with fludarabine plus cyclophosphamide with and without Genansense. The program's primary endpoint, an increase in the proportion of patients reaching a complete or nodular partial remission, was achieved, with the proportion of patients displaying remission growing from 7% to 17% in the Genansense and chemotherapy arm (p=0.025). In addition, the duration of this effect was significantly longer in patients receiving the drug and chemotherapy in comparison with those subjects only treated with chemotherapy. Genta's president, Loretta Itri, said that the data had confirmed the benefit of complete remission in leukemia sufferers, and that the firm would continue to develop the drug, particularly as a potential treatment for less advanced cases of the disease.